<ARTICLE> 5 <RESTATED> <PERIOD-TYPE> 3-MOS 9-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1997 DEC-31-1997 <PERIOD-START> JUL-01-1997 JAN-01-1997 <PERIOD-END> SEP-30-1997 SEP-30-1997 <CASH> 8,767,393 8,767,393 <SECURITIES> 0 0 <RECEIVABLES> 98,547,747 98,547,747 <ALLOWANCES> 12,141,277 12,141,277 <INVENTORY> 5,308,301 5,308,301 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 111,356,229 111,356,229 <PP&E> 89,827,349 89,827,349 <DEPRECIATION> 27,214,548 27,214,548 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 409,631,387 409,631,387 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 32,664,167 32,664,167 <BONDS> 229,227,781 229,227,781 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 0 <PREFERRED> 0 0 <COMMON> 250,284 250,284 <OTHER-SE> 147,489,155 147,489,155 <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 409,631,387 409,631,387 <SALES> 0 0 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 84,082,021 227,952,722 <CGS> 0 0 <TOTAL-COSTS> 40,486,983 111,485,541 <OTHER-EXPENSES> 28,324,918 77,141,034 <LOSS-PROVISION> 2,978,851 8,493,989 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 3,116,563 7,095,437 <INCOME-PRETAX> 9,174,706 23,736,721 <INCOME-TAX> 4,413,117 10,405,926 <INCOME-CONTINUING> 4,761,589 13,330,795 <DISCONTINUED> 0 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 0 <CHANGES> 0 0 <NET-INCOME> 4,761,589 13,330,795 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0.19 0.54 <EPS-DILUTED> 0.18 0.51